Wooden Breast Syndrome in Gastrocnemius Muscle of Roaster Chickens Leading to Muscle-Tendon Rupture and Leg Condemnation

Rupture of the gastrocnemius tendon is a costly challenge for the poultry industry due to bird culling from clinical lameness and leg condemnations at the processing plant. In this case, a broiler chicken producer experienced a dramatic increase in leg condemnations at processing, coinciding with a temporary increase in processing age and weight (from 62 days at 10.25 pounds or 4.66 kg to 67 days at 11 pounds or 5 kg body weight). Gross lesions...